This new Penguin paperback series is great – only ten bucks, and the books aren’t heavy. (Physically, that is). Chandler writes so beautifully his words are a joy to read. I don’t read that much crime stuff and found the plot a little tricky to follow, maybe because I forgot who was who, but having seen the movies helped. And it does sort of sag around the three-thirds mark after Marlowe solves one crime, but then goes “but I wasn’t going to give up until I solved this other crime”. It was tricky to get the momentum going again.
But I guess the delight of Chandler is more the wonderful language, characters, atmosphere and dialogue – thumb sucking Carmel, hopeless Joe Brody, the withered General Sternwood, tortured Marlowe. Marlowe is quite homophobic (all pansies are physically weak) and smacks around women. I was surprised how he seems to walk everywhere – maybe that’s what keeps him fit despite all that drinking he does. Wonderful corrupt atmosphere – rainy nights, seedy bars, gay antique dealers, corrupt cops, cynicism to burn. Very satisfying ending which tied everything together better than I remembered.
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